Syracuse University Newhouse Students Campaign To End Texting While Driving

Kudos to SU’s Public Relations students, who have launched a campaign to dissuade their fellow students from texting while driving. Imaginative campaign, too. They are distributing “thumb bands” (think those ubiquitous yellow “LiveStrong” bracelets, but thumb size), with the word “pause” imbedded on them, to remind students not to employ that digit, or any other, on the smart phone while driving.

The campaign will be featured at Friday night’s Virginia v SU football game at the Carrier Dome, where the thumb bands will be distributed, and students will be invited to jump online with their smart phones where they can pledge not to text while driving.

As I have blogged about many times before, driving while texting is even more dangerous in many ways than drinking and driving. In my job as a Syracuse and Central New York car accident attorney, I personally have noticed a big increase in the number of cross-over and rear-end collisions due to young people texting while driving within the last few years. National statistics bear out my personal observations; according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 20 percent of crashes involve distracted driving, including texting, and most of these are drivers under 20 years old.

And by the way, texting while driving is also against the law in New York!

Thanks Newhouse students for getting on this issue in such a creative, fun way.